Trapping: Laws, practice are arcane

I live in the Bitterroot and one of my passions is walking in
the woods off-trail with my dog, exploring the beauty that is
Montana.

Public land must be safe for public use. Trapping creates an
unsafe environment for individuals who enjoy walking with their
pets. The Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks website states:
"Trapping has a time honored heritage in Montana ..."

I would argue that there are many time honored traditions that
no longer have a place in modern society. Trapping laws are arcane,
and the idea that trapping on public land is an important aspect of
preserving Montana's heritage is ludicrous.

Trapping promotes cruelty to animals and teaches indifference to
suffering. It is indiscriminant in the species that it targets and
horrific to the animal caught, dooming them to a long and suffering
death.

Setting traps and snares makes public land unsafe. This is not
Montana in 1850. The population of Ravalli and Missoula counties is
150,000 people, many who enjoy recreating on the public lands in
the Bitterroot Valley. Trapping puts these individuals and their
pets at risk, as well as killing thousands of animals so that
trappers can "experience nature" at the expense of the majority of
individuals that use the land.

I suspect that most Montanans only think of trapping when it
directly impacts them. When the consequences of trapping are
considered, the potential harm to domestic animals, and the
inhumane suffering and death caused to a trapped animal, most would
not support it.

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It is time to end trapping on public lands and ensure that the
majority of public land users and their pets can enjoy walking
safely. And it is time to end the culture that says inflicting
torture and suffering on animals for enjoyment are acceptable
practices in our society.

Thomas Arminio, Hamilton

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